43 Songs About Eating Disorders
Many people suffer from eating disorders, and their friends and families may not realize it.
The truth is that eating disorders can be so hidden that no one notices their effects until it's too late.
This list of songs about eating disorders will give you a glimpse into that world and hopefully spark much-needed discussions.
Contents
“Ana's Song” by Silverchair
Song Year: 1999
“Ana's Song” by Silverchair is a song about anorexia. The protagonist is Ana, a girl that currently battles with her eating disorder.
The lyrics are compelling and do a fantastic job of reflecting the torment accompanying this hardship.
“Skyscraper” by Demi Lovato
Song Year: 2011
Before “Skyscraper” was released, Lovato admitted, among other things, that she suffered from bulimia and sought treatment.
The song feels devastatingly personal and mirrors the push and pull of handling an eating disorder.
The message of standing as tall and strong as a skyscraper reminds the listener that they can make it through the chaos.
“Tunic (Song For Karen)” by Sonic Youth
Song Year:1990
This song pays tribute to Karen Carpenter, lead singer of The Carpenters, who died after struggling with anorexia.
Singer of Sonic Youth, Kim Gordon's resentful voice and lyrics about such a velvety-voiced woman delivers a biting song that sticks to your soul.
“Big Fat Lie” by Nicole Scherzinger
Song Year: 2014
Inspired by Scherzinger's struggle with bulimia, “Big Fat Lie” speaks of the big fat lie she told herself about weight.
Her haunting voice, backed by soothing drums and beats, helps reinforce her goal of speaking out about eating disorders.
“Shatter Me” by Lindsey Stirling
Song Year: 2014
American violinist Lindsey Stirling suffered from an eating disorder in her early 20s.
She leaned on that experience as inspiration for her song “Shatter Me.”
The fast-paced cadence and dizzying lyrics reflect the trapped and tangled feeling of living with an eating disorder.
“Control” by Alexisonfire
Song Year: 2004
“Control” by Alexisonfire crawls into the skin of someone that suffers from an eating disorder.
The music and lyrics depict the feeling of weakness and lack of control, especially regarding eating and weight. It is a dreadful look into the desperation of someone trying to put their life back together.
However, “Control” also reminds the listener there is always hope and someone that shares your feelings.
“A Blood Red Bracelet” by Corinna Fugate
Song Year: 2006
Wearing a red bracelet is a sign to identify people that you are suffering from and battling anorexia.
“A Blood Red Bracelet” by Corinna Fugate is a song that clings to your mind for days after hearing it.
The song is as unforgettable and unique as comparing a red bracelet to a casket in a closet.
“In Front of the Mirror” by GLAM
Song Year: 2013
GLAM’S “In Front of the Mirror” sings about a woman battling anorexia. It also expresses how she feels whenever she looks in the mirror.
The song stresses the paradox people struggling with eating disorders feel between what they see in the mirror and what they genuinely feel inside.
“Never Good Enough” by Rachel Ferguson
Song Year: 2008
Rachel Ferguson's song “Never Good Enough” is about a person bitterly struggling with an eating disorder.
The lyrics express the inner reflection of the person suffering, swallowed by self-doubt and a negative body image.
The guitar and the lyrics make this song resonate with everyone who listens to it.
“Ugly” by 2NE1
Song Year: 2011
With their unique style, the fabulous girl K-Pop band 2NE1 brings the song “Ugly” to the listener's face.
The entire song is in Korean except for the word “ugly” The song concentrates on the cost of setting a standard of beauty and being critical of those who do not measure up.
“Ugly” questions modern beauty norms and has become a bit of an anthem for people trying to recover from eating disorders.
“We Need to Eat” by Kent
Song Year: 2000
“We Need to Eat” is a song about how an eating disorder profoundly impacts a person's life.
The song echoes somebody that wants to get better, highlighting the conflicting ideas they need to eat to survive.
There is despair and hope in this song, intertwined just as paradoxically.
“Just a Little Bit” by Maria Mena
Song Year: 2004
Maria Mena knows how to speak about all the characteristics of an eating disorder.
“Just a Little Bit” talks about how the singer has been dieting and exercising for years, and she still isn't satisfied with her body.
There is a bit of reassurance for someone struggling with an eating disorder, knowing they are not the only ones feeling this way.
“I Lie Awake Every Night” by James Vincent McMorrow
Song Year: 2016
R&B singer James Vincent McMorrow, in this soulful song “I Lie Awake Every Night,” talks about his struggle with anorexia and bulimia when he was a teenager.
This song speaks of the deep feeling of loneliness and isolation that can accompany an eating disorder.
“Pretty” by Lauren Alaina
Song Year: 2017
“Pretty” is Alaina's war cry for women to stop hating their looks and start to love themselves.
The song notes that there isn't a difference between a mirror and a lair. Who doesn't need to realize that?
“Pretty” reflects Alaina's struggle with bulimia which she says she was able to tackle with the love of her mother.
“Eyesore” by Maria Mena
Song Year: 2008
Eating disorders can take over someone's life and make the person feel like a freak or a mistake.
“Eyesore” is about a person struggling with an eating disorder and the control the disorder can have over life.
The strong lyrics and powerful rhythms plague the listener long after hearing the song.
“Invisible” by Skylar Grey
Song Year: 2011
Invisible is an extremely personal depiction of what it means to suffer from an eating disorder. It is written from Skylar Grey’s own perspective.
The lyrics are powerful, painful, and difficult to forget, describing a person who is struggling but can't seem to break free.
This song effectively reminds you that you are not alone in your fight if you struggle with an eating disorder.
“Tied Together with a Smile” by Taylor Swift
Song Year: 2006
Written as a song about a friend of Swift's battle with an eating disorder, “Tied Together with a Smile” is poignant and powerful.
The song speaks of someone who does not realize how beautiful they are and how that misplaced personal image can cause that person's life to fall apart.
“Sophie” by Eleanor McEvoy
Song Year: 1999
Eleanor McEvoy's song “Sophie” is about a woman battling an eating disorder. In the song, Sophie doesn't want to be thin anymore.
She is exhausted from the misery and torture of continually being concerned about her weight.
The piano and the lyrics make your heart break for Sophie.
“Skinny” by Filter
Song Year: 1999
The song “Skinny” by Filter is about anorexia and eating disorders and the feeling of a tiny, sealed world that it constructs.
It also touches on the lies people with eating disorders tell themselves and the hurt it causes.
Filter handles this song with the renowned style they are known for delivering.
“My Silent Undoing” by Queenadreena
Song Year: 2002
If ever a song could grasp the sentiments associated with an eating disorder, it is this one.
“My Silent Undoing” by Queenadreena is so well written that the listener can visualize the thinness and gauntness in frightening terms.
The song is a blend of vigor, weakness, and beauty, reminding those suffering that there will be beauty after the misery.
“Sober” by Demi Lovato
Song Year: 2018
Since Demi Lovato has suffered from eating disorders and several other mental disorders since she was 12.
“Sober” is a song about her need to be sober. The lyrics speak of her relapse from sobriety and her desperate need for forgiveness and healing.
This song resonates with anyone who has relapsed from an eating disorder but still fights the fight to be sober.
“Anorexic Beauty” by Pulp
Song Year: 1987
“Anorexic Beauty” by Pulp was dedicated to a Scottish singer and actress who suffered from anorexia.
The song is beautiful, but some recently described it as pro-anorexia.
The song vaults into all sides of the disease, reminding listeners that there is no good side to an eating disorder. That, at the very minimum, being anorexic is not pretty.
“Scars to Your Beautiful” by Alessia Cara
Song Year: 2015
“Scars to Your Beautiful” is an anthem for body positivity and self-love. It highlights the point that weight does not make a person beautiful.
“Scars to Your Beautiful” wants people to begin to love themselves for who they are right now!
“Fix Me” by Marianas Trench
Song Year: 2006
Again Marianas Trench can articulate the horrors of an eating disorder with frankness and openness as no one else can.
“Fix Me” talks about how the singer has struggled with an eating disorder for a lengthy time. And the perseverance and determination to rectify it.
“Please Eat” by Nicole Dollaganger
Song Year: 2013
“Please Eat” takes a spin on what it is like dating someone with an eating disorder.
Dollaganger's lyrics are both heartbreaking and captivating at the same time.
Whether you are suffering from an eating disorder or someone in your life, this song strikes on a very intimate level.
“Beauty From Pain” by Superchick
Song Year: 2005
“Beauty From Pain” takes a bit of a different spin on an eating disorder. The song is about a girl struggling with her eating disorder but is determined to overcome it.
“Beauty From Pain” talks about how the distress of the eating disorder has made the singer much more vigorous and beautiful.
It is an inspiration and anthem for anyone struggling with an eating disorder.
“Me & Mia” by Ted Leo & the Pharmacists
Song Year: 2004
“Me & Mia” is about the struggles of a couple and their eating disorders.
The song brings to light the concept that eating disorders can create a very isolating feeling.
“Me & Mia” also emphasizes that recovery is not a swift and straightforward process, but in the end, it will all be worth it.
“Courage” by Superchick
Song Year: 2005
Christian rock group Superchick wrote “Courage” to tribute a girl struggling with an eating disorder.
The song is about overpowering and being courageous. “Courage” is a superb song for anyone who needs encouragement to tackle eating disorders.
It is lively and upbeat and gives the listener the courage they might need.
“Skin and Bones” by Marianas Trench
Song Year: 2006
“Skin and Bones” is a sincere song. The song is from the point of view of someone suffering from an eating disorder.
It focuses on the shame the person feels.
The singer desperately wants to be nothing but skin and bones while singing to the bathroom mirror and toilet, the shame they feel from that need.
“Dressed in Decay” by CKY
Song Year: 2005
This song about battling an eating disorder expresses the endless battle between the singer's ideas of body image and their relationship with food.
“Dressed in Decay” is a personal song. The singer tells the feelings about their body falling apart due to their eating disorder.
This song is a potent reminder that eating disorders are a severe form of mental illness and can ultimately have fatal consequences.
“Waltz Moore” by From First to Last
Song Year: 2006
The song “Waltz Moore” by From First to Last, an alternative metal rock band, is about someone (Waltz Moore) who struggles to battle his eating disorder.
Waltz is desperately trying to improve, but it is hard. The lyrics explain how challenging it is actually to achieve that recovery.
The lyrics are relatable, and the music is, at times, almost soothing.
“Cause and Effect” by Maria Mena
Song Year:2008
“Cause and Effect” is a gorgeous ballad about a girl struggling with an eating disorder.
“Cause and Effect” speak about how the eating disorder has caused her to feel secluded and isolated. It also communicates the desperate need to break free.
The song is bitterly sincere and will resonate with anyone who has experienced an eating disorder.
“Ana & Mia” by The Trews
Song Year:2005
The song “Ana & Mia” powerful message is that women can and do struggle with the pressure to be beautiful and that pressure can eventually lead to the woman's fatality.
The song tells the story of a girl with bulimia and anorexia and her daily battle with both disorders.
The song's title comes from the slang terms for anorexia nervosa and bulimia, Ana and Mia.
“She's Falling Apart” by Lisa Loeb
Song Year: 2002
Singer and songwriter Lisa Loeb composed an enchanting song, “She's Falling Apart,” that focuses on a young teenage girl with anorexia.
The song sheds light on the devastating effect of an eating disorder on the individual suffering and the effect the disorder can have on the entire family.
“Someone I Once Knew” by Dead Celebrity Status
Song Year: 2006
This song is a cautionary song. “Someone I Once Knew” is not only about someone who has an eating disorder but also about being able to recognize the signs of someone battling this disease.
The song warns listeners to notice these signs before it is too late.
“Deadly Beauty” by Faces Without Names
Song Year:2007
“Deadly Beauty,” tells a poignant and powerful story of a girl's collapse into an eating disorder.
The song communicates the familiar theme of someone desiring to become “beautiful” enough to win their love back. The girl in the song does ultimately get help.
Still, she cannot overcome her eating disorder, which eventually robs her of life.
“Self-Fulfilling Prophecy” by Maria Mena
Song Year: 2008
Off of the same album as her other songs highlighted in this list, “Self-Fulfilling Prophecy” by Maria Mena speaks of the anxiety of failing as a woman, starving women, and the idea that hunger is like a tumor.
This Norwegian pop singer entangles her soulful sound and lyrics into an influential and powerful song.
“Numbers” by Pompeii
Song Year: 2006
The song “Numbers” by the alternative/indie band Pompeii can only be described as captivating.
The song deals with someone struggling with an eating disorder. It is perhaps a critique of the modern culture's obsession with the perfect body.
The song is powerful and full of melancholy but spreads a much-needed positive message of awareness.
“I Hate the Way” by Polly Scattergood
Song Year: 2009
The song “I Hate the Way” by Polly Scattergood is all over the place but in a good way.
This music is anything from delicate and out of place to dark and intense. But those characterizations also match the feelings of someone battling an eating disorder.
“I Hate the Way” speaks of doctors' guidance and bodies giving up, all while underscoring the confusion that comes with eating disorders.
“Buried Myself Alive” by The Used
Song Year: 2002
The song “Buried Myself Alive” highlights an individual struggling with an eating disorder and battling their relationship with food.
However, this song adds a reassuring message that, in the end, the person learns that getting that perfect body is not as important as they thought it was.
“Bleed Like Me” by Garbage
Song Year: 2005
Few songs about an eating disorder are more haunting or heartbreaking than “Bleed Like Me” by Garbage.
The lyrics seem to mimic the chaos and darkness that accompanies eating disorders.
“Bleed Like Me” is a song people feel in their souls, whether they may be going through an eating disorder themselves or they are a support for someone.
“Feeling Small” by Marianas Trench
Song Year: 2002
“Feeling Small” lyrics by Marianas Trench explore the emotions accompanying battling an eating disorder and what that person ultimately loses.
The music is unforgettable, and the captivating lyrics remind those impacted by eating disorders they are not alone.
There is support and help out there for whoever wants it.
“4st 7lb” by Manic Street Preachers
Song Year: 1994
The song title might be a bit of a puzzle, but it stands for “4 stone and 7 pounds,” which, when added together, is a total of 63 pounds.
Sixty-three pounds is the weight a human could not survive if under it.
“4st 7lb” depicts a girl who wants so painfully to become skinny that she's starting to fade away.
According to the song, the anorexia the girl suffered from happened because of society's pressure to be thin.
Popular Songs About Eating Disorders, Final Thoughts
Eating disorders are dangerous and lead to numerous health problems, not only physically but mentally as well.
We hope these songs can help shed some light on eating disorders and provide a starting point for conversations with yourself or your loved ones.
Hopefully, this list motivates you to learn more about eating disorders and the people impacted by them.
If you or your loved one is struggling with an eating disorder, there is always help.
